Interview with Tina Lundell at Elis
We had the privilege of interviewing Tina Lundell, General Manager at Elis in Angered, Gothenburg, to discuss sustainability and quality assurance with us and how our collaborations affect our products and their services.
As a leader in the textile and hygiene industry with a focus on a circular business model for over 70 years, Elis has specialised in renting, collecting, washing and repairing products throughout their entire life cycle, until the product can no longer be repaired to perform its original purpose.
Elis is far more than just a laundry. They offer sustainable, time-saving and tailored services including rental, washing, maintenance and delivery of quality textiles, where quality and service life are combined to ensure sustainability. That is why they have been a natural and important partner for us at Tranemo for many years.
We had the privilege of interviewing Tina Lundell, General Manager at Elis in Angered, Gothenburg, to discuss sustainability and quality assurance with us and how our collaborations affect our products and their services.
Elis works actively to ease the concerns that come with workwear. When they rent out personal protective equipment (PPE) to customers, Elis ensures that the garments have the right fit and can quickly be replaced or removed when employees leave or start – which avoids unnecessary purchases and stocks of old clothes.
Elis collects and delivers the workwear and, when the textiles arrive at their facility, they are sorted by material and by the type of dirt they have been in contact with before washing. 80% of a garment’s environmental impact occurs during the manufacturing phase. The more times it can be used, the less the impact on the environment. The way the garments are washed is essential here:
"Firstly, we wash it in the right way," says Tina. "We use the washing programmes that are adapted to the type of dirt the garment contains, so that it is washed in the most efficient way."
We use the washing programmes that are adapted to the type of dirt the garment contains.
The only things Elis adds during the washing process are water and detergent. But their customers work in many different industries, and it is common for the garments to be contaminated with substances such as heavy metals – which end up in the wastewater after the cleaning process. To prevent these substances from harming the environment, Elis has built its own water treatment plant to ensure that hazardous materials are not released into the environment.
"There are substances that should not be allowed to run down the drain," Tina explains. "That is why we have discharge permits and take monthly water samples, which are sent for analysis to keep track of what we are allowed to release. It is very important."
The textiles are also checked manually to see if there are any holes or tears in the PPE. If they happen to find a hole, the garment is repaired with the correct materials to maintain the certifications for the PPE and ensure that they still offer the same type and the right amount of protection as before.
"We repair the garments until it is no longer reasonable to repair them. And they are always repaired with materials that meet the requirements of the garment. Flame retardant garments are repaired with flame retardant material, and so on."
Circularity is important, Tina explains: "It is probably the most important thing, that we make sure it is repaired, so that it does not become a waste product. It is repaired until it can no longer be repaired. And then it becomes something else when it is discarded, so that it does not go to incineration either, but becomes something else. It gets a new life in some way."
By doing this, Elis ensures that their customers’ employees are safe when they wear PPE rented from them. By doing this, they also put pressure on their own suppliers to deliver higher-quality garments and products.
The most important thing is that the suppliers keep in mind that it must be possible to repair the garments.
"The most important thing is that the suppliers, when they design the garment, think about the actual repair of the garment, that it is possible to repair it. Because this is crucial for us when we extend the life of the garment, mainly through repair and correct handling. When I worked in the automotive industry, they said "design for the aftermarket", and it is really exactly the same thing here. It is also important for the suppliers to choose materials that last in their garments. It is important to invest in good reflectors, to invest in good buttons, to invest in zips that last and to invest in fabric that actually lasts."
Tina continues: "The quality of a garment has a direct effect on its service life, and the difference is visibly noticeable. Low-quality garments quickly lose their colour, their shape, their reflectors and so on."
"These are things I think about for my part. It is also important for the customer, especially if their employees’ appearance is an important part of their brand."
This is something we take very seriously at Tranemo as well. It is important that employees’ clothing represents the company they work for. And when we make clothing recommendations, it is crucial that the garments feel good to wear and use over time. That is why we offer repairs in all the countries in which we operate, and why Elis keeps reserve stocks of essential garments. This ensures that even if a garment has a hole or an employee leaves, you will not be left with garments that cannot be used.
"If you are a rental customer with us, we do not throw the clothes away, they live on until they are completely finished," Tina explains.
We do not throw the clothes away, they live on until they are completely finished.
Elis' approach to repairs is completely different from the throwaway culture that consumers may be used to. "If a zip breaks on a garment and no one repairs it, it is easy to just throw it away. Even if it is a two-week-old jacket, and you have got it caught somewhere or torn it, you can end up throwing away 2500 SEK if you do not repair it. So repair is very important, especially a well-executed repair. We are not tailors, but we repair so that customers can see that the clothes retain their functionality," says Tina.
Here we have had a close collaboration, both to ensure that Elis has been equipped with the right knowledge to repair flame retardant PPE, as well as with the materials and guidelines they need to maintain the garment’s certifications. But our collaboration goes both ways – Elis test-washes all our textiles and new products before launch, to ensure that they are approved for industrial washing before they even reach our customers’ doors. This is just one way our partnership improves the quality and performance of our garments and ensures reliable and sustainable workwear for the most demanding operations.
